Transitioning from Gamma Rays to X Rays for Comparable Biomedical Research Irradiations: Energy Matters.

Transitioning from Gamma Rays to X Rays for Comparable Biomedical Research Irradiations: Energy Matters. Radiat Res. 2020 Apr 21;: Authors: Poirier Y, Belley MD, Dewhirst MW, Yoshizumi TT, Down JD Abstract Many studies in biomedical research and various allied fields, in which cells or laboratory animals are exposed to radiation, rely on adequate radiation dose standardization for reproducibility and comparability of biological data. Due to increasing concerns regarding international terrorism, the use of radioactive isotopes has recently been met with enhanced security measures. Thus, a growing number of researchers have considered transferring their studies from gamma-ray to kilovoltage X-ray irradiators. Current commercially-available X-ray biological irradiators produce radiation beams with reasonable field geometry and overall dose-homogeneity; however, they operate over a wide range of different energies, both between different models and for a specific unit as well. As a result, the contribution from Compton scattering and the photoelectric effect also varies widely between different irradiators and different beam qualities. The photoelectric effect significantly predominates at the relatively low X-ray energies in which these irradiators operate. Consequently, a higher dose is delivered to bony tissues and the adjacent hematopoietic cells of the bone marrow. The increase in average radiation absorbed dose to the bone marrow c...
Source: Radiation Research - Category: Physics Authors: Tags: Radiat Res Source Type: research